SEA TURTLE-PREDATOR MODEL WITH THE EFFECT OF EXPLOITATION PARAMETER

Abstract

Sea turtles, vital to marine ecosystems, face considerable threats due to human exploitation, putting their global populations at risk. This study examines a prey-predator model to explore the dynamics of sea turtle populations, focusing on the impact of humans and their interactions with marine predators. The goal is to examine how the dynamics of this model change when the exploitation parameter is altered. Through stability and bifurcation analyses, we assess the conditions that determine whether sea turtle populations remain stable or undergo substantial changes as exploitation pressure fluctuates. We employed eigenvalue analysis to establish the model’s stability conditions. Furthermore, bifurcation analysis reveals the system’s complex behaviour as the exploitation rate changes. By constructing bifurcation diagrams, we pinpoint critical values at which significant shifts in the dynamics of sea turtle populations occur, including the emergence of alternative stable states or the onset of population decline. The results revealed that once the exploitation rate is below its critical threshold, both the sea turtle as well as predator populations survive and oscillate. Nonetheless, if exploitation is too high, both populations face extinction within 20 to 60 years. Therefore, this research is important for raising awareness about the value of sea turtles and the threats they face, which can help reduce exploitation.